Government of Boys, &e. 163 
important than for the freeman to grow up without the as- 
sociations of tyrant and slave; without the habit of track- 
ling to power on the one hand, or on the other of aspiring 
afier the means of tyranny ? 
The excellence of a popular government will always be 
in proportion to the knowledge possessed by the people of 
the art of ruling. Can their minds then be called to the 
subject at too early anage. Government is an art as well 
as ascience: does not he who is to practice it in after life, 
require some practical experience to preserve him from 
But let the subject be considered only in its most con- 
fined point of view ; let the government of boys be thought 
of importance, only as it facilitates or impedes the acquisi- 
tion of such information as the teacher may wish to im- 
part even then there is much to be said in favour of free- 
is ; 
m. 
Even if a despotism were in the nature of things unavoid- 
able, it were much better that the despot should not be the 
instructor. Where the burden of government rests altogeth- 
er on his shoulders, his attention must necessarily be much 
drawn from his duty of imparting knowledge. But this is 
the least inconvenience. A line of demarcation is drawn 
between him and his pupils. He is the fountain of reward 
and punishment—judge without appeal—often witness and 
executioner. His fiai islaw. His words are the sentence 
of fate. How is it possible that his subjects can be at ease 
in the presence of such an absolute monarch? With what 
unfortunate associations are all his lessons surrounded. Can 
We wonder that so man rsons shut their books for ever 
when they leave school? It ought to be more matter of 
Surprize that the love of knowledge can in any ease survive 
the shocks to which it is so constantly exposed. __ 
Another objection to the despotic system is that it checks 
all voluntary action on the part of the pupil. Fignpine was 
not see that such a system would reduce us to automa- 
‘a. All.mental pleasures eel be destroyed, for the mind 
